PayGo Energy

What PayGo Energy does

PayGo Energy is a Nairobi-based technology company that builds hardware and software solutions to digitize LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) distribution in emerging markets, with the stated goal of serving the 2.6 billion people globally who lack access to clean cooking. The company's core product is the Cylinder Smart Meter (CSM), an IoT device that attaches to LPG cylinders and measures consumption at gram-level precision using a time-of-flight principle; the CSM communicates wirelessly with PayGo's cloud platform and shuts off gas flow when prepaid credit is exhausted, enabling pay-as-you-go gas purchases via mobile money in increments as small as Ksh 50. The CSM is the first and only LPG smart meter to achieve ATEX Zone II certification and is the only product compliant with the Kenyan Bureau of Standards LPG Smart Metering Standard, with granted patents and design registrations across 10+ jurisdictions including China, Italy, Nigeria, OAPI, Europe, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan.

The company monetizes through three streams: hardware sales of CSM units to LPG distributors, subscription-based access to the Tag & Trace platform (a web and mobile application providing end-to-end cylinder fleet visibility, inventory management, and predictive replenishment analytics), and downstream pay-as-you-go gas payments collected from end users via mobile money. Its go-to-market is channel-partner-led: PayGo works with established LPG distributors and retailers such as Rift Gas Ltd (Kenya), Saisan (Asia), and BBOXX/USAID (DRC), providing technology while partners handle last-mile distribution and retail. The end-customer segment is low-income households in informal settlements — over 80% of PayGo's customers are first-time gas users transitioning from charcoal and kerosene, and customers spend an average of $1.80 per week on cooking gas. In 2023, PayGo was acquired by Sun King, the largest off-grid solar company in Africa and Asia, with PayGo's 40-person Nairobi team forming Sun King's new Clean Cooking Team.

Name

PayGo Energy

Legal name

PayGo Energy Inc.

Website

https://paygoenergy.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PayGo Energy builds patented IoT smart meters and SaaS platforms that enable pay-as-you-go LPG distribution for low-income households in emerging markets, partnering with established gas distributors; acquired by Sun King in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LPG Smart Metering and Distribution Technology

NAICS

Totalizing Fluid Meter and Counting Device Manufacturing (334514)

SIC

Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Energy & EV Charging (HEMS, Smart Meters, Batteries, Chargers) (HSAPAQAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

NGL/LPG Pipeline Pump/Compressor & Metering Stations Operations (TLAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Pay-as-you-go LPG
• LPG smart metering
• Clean cooking technology
• Cylinder tracking platform
• LPG distribution software

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Cylinder Smart Meter Hardware Sales: IoT devices sold to LPG distributors for attachment to cylinders. CSM enables pay-as-you-go functionality.
2. Pay-As-You-Go Gas Payments: Customers pay for gas in small increments via mobile money. Average customer spends $1.80 per week on cooking gas and tops up more than once a week.
3. Tag & Trace Platform Subscription: LPG distributors and retailers pay for access to the Tag & Trace platform for digital distribution and retail management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PayGo Energy builds and sells the Cylinder Smart Meter (CSM), an IoT device that attaches to LPG cylinders to measure consumption by the gram and to enable pay-as-you-go LPG purchases via mobile money, together with the Tag & Trace web and mobile platform that gives LPG distributors full visibility and control over their cylinder fleet, inventory movements, restocking, maintenance, and retail performance. The combined solution lets LPG operators serve low-income households with micro-payments while digitizing their supply chain.

Product overview

PayGo Energy offers two core products under one unified platform: the Cylinder Smart Meter (CSM) and Tag & Trace. The CSM is an IoT hardware device attached to LPG cylinders enabling pay-as-you-go gas purchasing via mobile money with real-time consumption monitoring. Tag & Trace is a complementary web and mobile platform for digital LPG distribution providing end-to-end visibility and control of cylinder fleets, inventory management, and supply chain optimization. Together these products enable LPG distributors to grow markets for LPG in emerging markets while providing affordable, accessible clean cooking solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cylinder Smart Meter (CSM) IoT device that attaches to LPG cylinders to provide safe, high-precision metering of customer consumption (gram-level), wireless communication with the PayGo cloud, and automatic shut-off when credit is exhausted. Sold to LPG distributors and used by end consumers to purchase gas in micro-amounts via mobile money; the first and only LPG smart meter to achieve ATEX Zone II certification.
• Tag & Trace Platform Integrated web and mobile platform providing LPG distributors with end-to-end visibility and control of their cylinder fleet, including inventory tracking, restocking and collection planning, maintenance scheduling, and performance monitoring via custom dashboards and predictive analytics. Sold on a subscription basis and customized per partner (e.g., Rift Gas Ltd).

Quantifiable outcome

• Just 5% of customers discontinued LPG use during COVID lockdown despite income loss
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Sun KingflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, PayGo Energy was acquired by Sun King, the largest off-grid solar energy company in Africa and Asia. PayGo Energy's team of 40 employees in Nairobi has formed Sun King's new Clean Cooking Team.
• SaisancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019PayGo partners with Japanese energy conglomerate Saisan, with plans to pilot through Saisan's downstream operations in several of Asia's largest markets. Tomohiko Kawamoto (Saisan Executive VP and COO) serves on PayGo's board.
• BBOXX (with USAID support)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPayGo partners with BBOXX with support from USAID to expand access to clean cooking in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Clean Cooking AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayGo featured in Clean Cooking Alliance news for strategic partnerships to scale up clean cooking and new payment technology empowering families during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Rift Gas LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRift Gas Ltd uses PayGo's Tag & Trace platform for digital LPG operations. Featured as customer case study with quote from Aisha Wanjiku, Head of Administration.
• University of Liverpool / Global LPG PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for CLEAN-Air(Africa) program studying pay-as-you-go LPG during COVID-19. Study published in Applied Energy journal.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• ATEC (Advanced Technology Engineering & Consulting): Cambodia-based clean cooking technology company offering IoT-enabled biogas and electric cookstoves with pay-as-you-go functionality. Comparable in IoT-enabled clean cooking hardware and PAYG business model for emerging Asia markets, similar to PayGo's Asia expansion ambitions with Saisan.
• Sistema.bio: Mexico/Kenya-based biogas digester company serving smallholder farmers. Comparable clean cooking mission, emerging-market focus, and pay-over-time financing model—but offers a different fuel solution (biogas) to a primarily rural customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Sun King: PayGo's parent company and the largest off-grid solar energy company in Africa and Asia. Sun King offers pay-as-you-go solar home systems to off-grid households—a directly comparable pay-as-you-go energy model for emerging markets, and the strategic acquirer that now houses PayGo's clean cooking team.

Direct peers

• M-KOPA: Leading pay-as-you-go solar home system provider in East Africa serving low-income households. Closely comparable business model to PayGo: IoT-enabled hardware, mobile money payment integration, usage-based financing for off-grid energy access—though focused on solar rather than LPG cooking.
• BBOXX: UK-based pay-as-you-go solar provider with operations across Africa, including a partnership with PayGo supported by USAID to expand clean cooking in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Comparable PAYG energy model, mobile money integration, and emerging-market focus.
• Azuri Technologies: Pay-as-you-go solar home system provider operating across Sub-Saharan Africa. Closely comparable in target customer (off-grid low-income households), technology (IoT-enabled PAYG hardware), and business model (mobile-money-based micro-payments).
• KOKO Networks: Kenya-based clean cooking technology company operating a network of smart fuel-vending kiosks that dispense biomass-based cooking fuel. Comparable target market (low-income Kenyan households transitioning from charcoal/kerosene) and pay-as-you-go smart infrastructure model.
• BioLite: US/Kenya-based clean cooking and off-grid energy company producing biomass cookstoves with thermoelectric generation. Comparable in clean cooking mission for emerging markets, hardware-enabled energy access, and East African operational presence.
• BURN Manufacturing: Kenya-based manufacturer of efficient biomass and charcoal cookstoves targeting low-income households transitioning from traditional cooking fuels. Closely comparable end-customer base and clean cooking mission, though focused on improved cookstoves rather than LPG.
• Circle Gas: Africa-focused LPG distribution company digitizing last-mile LPG delivery with smart metering technology. Most directly comparable peer given the same target market (African LPG consumers), same technology approach (smart metering of LPG cylinders), and same distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paygo-energy
• Xx.com/paygo_energy

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PayGo Energy